The University of Tennessee at Knoxville ranked No. 186 out of close to 740 colleges and universities in WalletHub's 2027 College and University ranking. UT moved up 32 spots from its 2026 ranking.
WalletHub
looked beyond what each school had to offer during a student's time at an institution and assessed each college and university on "post-attendance metrics" including career outcomes, education outcome and student loan rates.Each school was graded in seven categories and received a score out of 100 possible points. The University of Tennessee scored a total of 60.47 points overall, slightly higher than its 2026 score of 60.01.
Here's how the University of Tennessee stacked up in WalletHub's ranking.
University of Tennessee ranks No. 1 among public schools in the state
UT remained the top public school in Tennessee.
It took the No. 5 spot among Tennessee schools ranked by WalletHub.
The four Tennessee institutions that ranked higher in WalletHub's ranking, Vanderbilt University, Rhodes College, The University of the South and Union University, are all private schools.
Only two other public schools, Tennessee Tech University and Middle Tennessee State University, were on the list. UT outranked both.
In addition to ranking well in the state, UT ranked No. 38 among all schools in the South, according to WalletHub.
The University of Tennessee's high rankings across multiple WalletHub categories are likely one reason students from across the country and around the world have been drawn to the university. The Class of 2030 is the largest freshman class in university history, with 7,205 first-year students enrolled when classes began.
Even as more students enroll, the university has continued to emphasize student retention. UT scored No. 193 in WalletHub's "Education Outcomes" category. That ranking puts the university in the top 30% of schools in the category.
While UT placed in the top half in some categories, it placed toward the bottom in others.
The University of Tennessee ranked No. 694 in "Faculty Resources" and No. 552 in "Campus Safety." The school still placed in the 75th percentile of all colleges and universities based on its placement in all the categories combined.
In addition to its best colleges and universities list, WalletHub published a separate ranking of the best universities in the U.S. for 2027. Out of 300 universities ranked by WalletHub, the University of Tennessee ranked No. 143. It ranked No. 32 out of 239 universities in the South region.
How much does it cost to go to the University of Tennessee?
One of the seven categories WalletHub used to rank colleges and universities was "Cost and Financing." UT placed No. 400 in the category, up 118 spots from last year's ranking.
Tuition for in-state students is $13,876 per year. Theuniversity estimates the total cost, including tuition, housing, food, books and materials, at $30,212.
Costs for out-of-state students are significantly higher. Tuition is $33,336. The total cost for out-of-state students is $49,672.
What are the top colleges in Tennessee?
Sixteen colleges and universities in the state were included on WalletHub's ranking. Vanderbilt University retained its spot as the best in Tennessee.
1. Vanderbilt University
2. Rhodes College
3. The University of the South
4. Union University
5. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
6. Lipscomb University
7. Tennessee Tech University
8. Middle Tennessee State University
9. Lee University
10. Freed-Hardeman University
What are the top colleges and universities in the United States?
Universities tend to rank higher than colleges, according to WalletHub. All institutions that made the top 10 were universities.
1. Princeton University
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
3. Yale University
4. California Institute of Technology
5. Harvard University
6. Northwestern University
7. University of Pennsylvania
8. Carnegie Mellon University
9. Stanford University
10. Georgia Institute of Technology
Afton Pratt covers trending and breaking news for Knox News and Tennessee. She can be reached at ampratt@usatodayco.com.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: University of Tennessee jumps 32 spots in WalletHub's 2027 rankings
